Lock-Up (TV series)

Summary

Lock-Up is an American crime drama series that premiered in syndication in September 1959 and concluded in June 1961. The half-hour episodes had little time for character development or subplots. It instead presented a compact story without embellishment.

Lock-Up
Video cover
GenreCrime drama
Directed byWalter Doniger
Fred Hamilton
Jack Herzberg
Henry S. Kesler
Otto Lang
StarringMacdonald Carey
John Doucette
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes78
Production
Executive producerFrederick W. Ziv
ProducersJack Herzberg
Henry S. Kesler
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesZiv Television Programs
United Artists Television
Original release
NetworkSyndication
ReleaseSeptember 26, 1959 (1959-09-26) –
June 17, 1961 (1961-06-17)

Series overview edit

The program stars Macdonald Carey as real-life Philadelphia corporate attorney Herbert L. Maris (1880–1960) and John Doucette as police detective Lieutenant Jim Weston. Maris died during the program's initial run.

Each episode began with the following introduction: "These stories are based on the files and case histories of Herbert L. Maris, prominent attorney, who has devoted his life to saving the innocent."

The foundation of each episode is the cornerstone of English and American jurisprudence: a person charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The series featured stories of persons who were unjustly accused, usually due to circumstantial evidence. The program's primary theme is that when individuals are charged with a crime, not all is as it first appears and a thorough investigation is duly warranted in order to uncover vital facts pertinent to the case.

Herbert L. Maris had an uncanny sense about the honest, innocent persons who had been falsely accused. With his lucrative private practice of corporate law, he also had the time and resources to help these people. He was an attorney who spent his spare time helping defendants unjustly charged by the State. The stories portrayed in this series do not involve federal crimes.

Episodes edit

Season 1 (1959–60) edit

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"Stake Out"Henry S. KeslerGene L. CoonSeptember 26, 1959 (1959-09-26)
22"The Harry Connors Story"Paul GuilfoyCharles LarsonOctober 3, 1959 (1959-10-03)
33"Change of Heart"Robert FloreyMalvin Wald & Mortimer BrausOctober 10, 1959 (1959-10-10)
44"The Failure"Henry S. KeslerJack JacobsOctober 17, 1959 (1959-10-17)
55"End of the World"Henry S. KeslerGuy de VryOctober 24, 1959 (1959-10-24)
66"Shadow of a Giant"Henry S. KeslerUnknownOctober 31, 1959 (1959-10-31)
77"Presumption of Guilt"Henry S. KeslerDonn MullallyNovember 7, 1959 (1959-11-07)
88"The Angry Men"Walter DonigerMikhail RykoffNovember 14, 1959 (1959-11-14)
99"Writ of Terror"Henry S. KeslerStory by : Alexander Richards and Stanley H. Silverman & Stan Cutler
Teleplay by : Stanley H. Silverman & Stan Cutler
November 21, 1959 (1959-11-21)
1010"Music to Murder By"UnknownUnknownNovember 28, 1959 (1959-11-28)
1111"With Malice for One"Eddie DavisStanley H. SilvermanDecember 5, 1959 (1959-12-05)
1212"Framed Ex-Con"Dane ClarkLee BergDecember 12, 1959 (1959-12-12)
1313"Death in the Streets"Eddie DavisGeorge & Gertrude FassDecember 19, 1959 (1959-12-19)
1414"The Drop"UnknownUnknownDecember 26, 1959 (1959-12-26)
1515"The Manly Art of Murder"UnknownUnknownJanuary 2, 1960 (1960-01-02)
1616"A Reputation"UnknownUnknownJanuary 9, 1960 (1960-01-09)
1717"His Father's Footsteps"UnknownUnknownJanuary 16, 1960 (1960-01-16)
1818"Price of Charity"Eddie DavisGeorge & Gertrude FassJanuary 23, 1960 (1960-01-23)
1919"Never Bet the Odds"UnknownUnknownJanuary 30, 1960 (1960-01-30)
2020"Morality and the Shield"UnknownUnknownFebruary 6, 1960 (1960-02-06)
2121"Dead Man's Shoes"UnknownUnknownFebruary 13, 1960 (1960-02-13)
2222"Strange Summons"UnknownUnknownFebruary 20, 1960 (1960-02-20)
2323"Murder Plays It Cool"UnknownUnknownFebruary 27, 1960 (1960-02-27)
2424"Election Night"UnknownUnknownMarch 5, 1960 (1960-03-05)
2525"Poker Club"William ConradPhilip SaltzmanMarch 12, 1960 (1960-03-12)
2626"The Trigger"UnknownUnknownMarch 19, 1960 (1960-03-19)
2727"Murder is a Gamble"UnknownUnknownMarch 26, 1960 (1960-03-26)
2828"Death and Texas"UnknownUnknownApril 2, 1960 (1960-04-02)
2929"The Locket"UnknownUnknownApril 9, 1960 (1960-04-09)
3030"The Trouble Cop"UnknownUnknownApril 16, 1960 (1960-04-16)
3131"First Prize for Murder"UnknownUnknownApril 23, 1960 (1960-04-23)
3232"The Frame"UnknownUnknownApril 30, 1960 (1960-04-30)
3333"Society Marathon"UnknownUnknownMay 7, 1960 (1960-05-07)
3434"Last Chance"UnknownUnknownMay 14, 1960 (1960-05-14)
3535"Mind Over Murder"Jack HerzbergMeyer DolinskyMay 21, 1960 (1960-05-21)
3636"So Shall Ye Reap"William ConradSidney MorseMay 28, 1960 (1960-05-28)
3737"Sentenced to Die"Christian NybyRobert J. ShawJune 4, 1960 (1960-06-04)
3838"Voice of Doom"Jack HerzbergRobert BlochJune 11, 1960 (1960-06-11)
3939"The Blood Red Ruby"Alan Crosland, Jr.Guy De VryJune 18, 1960 (1960-06-18)

Season 2 (1960–61) edit

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
401"The Case of Joe Slade"Jack HerzbergStuart JeromeSeptember 24, 1960 (1960-09-24)
412"The Tee Off"Leon BensonSidney MorseOctober 1, 1960 (1960-10-01)
423"Skid Row Story"UnknownUnknownOctober 8, 1960 (1960-10-08)
434"Flying High"UnknownUnknownOctober 15, 1960 (1960-10-15)
445"Beau and Arrow Case"UnknownUnknownOctober 22, 1960 (1960-10-22)
456"The Frame Up"Eddie DavisJack RockOctober 29, 1960 (1960-10-29)
467"Seventh Hour"Jean YarborowMeyer DolinskyNovember 5, 1960 (1960-11-05)
478"The Sisters"UnknownUnknownNovember 12, 1960 (1960-11-12)
489"Top Secret"Leslie GoodwinsGene LesserNovember 19, 1960 (1960-11-19)
4910"Society Doctor"UnknownUnknownNovember 26, 1960 (1960-11-26)
5011"Number Please"UnknownUnknownDecember 3, 1960 (1960-12-03)
5112TBAUnknownUnknownDecember 10, 1960 (1960-12-10)
5213TBAUnknownUnknownDecember 17, 1960 (1960-12-17)
5314"Compulsive Killer"Leslie GoodwinsJack RockDecember 24, 1960 (1960-12-24)
5415"Girls Wanted"UnknownUnknownDecember 31, 1960 (1960-12-31)
5516"Diamond Dupe"UnknownUnknownJanuary 7, 1961 (1961-01-07)
5617"His Brother's Keeper"Jack HerzbergMalvin WaldJanuary 14, 1961 (1961-01-14)
5718"A Case of Arson"UnknownGeorge & Gertrude FassJanuary 21, 1961 (1961-01-21)
5819"Jennifer"UnknownUnknownJanuary 28, 1961 (1961-01-28)
5920"Abandoned Mine"UnknownUnknownFebruary 4, 1961 (1961-02-04)
6021"A French Affair"UnknownUnknownFebruary 11, 1961 (1961-02-11)
6122"End of a Titan"UnknownUnknownFebruary 18, 1961 (1961-02-18)
6223"Fugitive from Fear"UnknownUnknownFebruary 25, 1961 (1961-02-25)
6324"Design for Murder"Jack HerzbergCharles B. SmithMarch 4, 1961 (1961-03-04)
6425"Like Father, Like Son"UnknownUnknownMarch 11, 1961 (1961-03-11)
6526"Red Confetti"UnknownUnknownMarch 18, 1961 (1961-03-18)
6627"Planter's Death"Jack HerzbergCharles B. SmithMarch 25, 1961 (1961-03-25)
6728"Two Wrongs"UnknownUnknownApril 1, 1961 (1961-04-01)
6829"Jungle Compound"UnknownUnknownApril 8, 1961 (1961-04-08)
6930"The Case of Willlie Betterly"UnknownUnknownApril 15, 1961 (1961-04-15)
7031"The Wildcatter"UnknownUnknownApril 22, 1961 (1961-04-22)
7132"The Accused"UnknownUnknownApril 29, 1961 (1961-04-29)
7233"Leading Young Citizen"UnknownUnknownMay 6, 1961 (1961-05-06)
7334"Hurricane"UnknownUnknownMay 13, 1961 (1961-05-13)
7435"Court Martial"UnknownUnknownMay 20, 1961 (1961-05-20)
7536"Sacrifice Play"UnknownUnknownMay 27, 1961 (1961-05-27)
7637"Face of Innocence"Jack HerzbergKathleen BlatzJune 3, 1961 (1961-06-03)
7738"The Intruder"UnknownUnknownJune 10, 1961 (1961-06-10)
7839"The Case of Nan Havens"UnknownUnknownJune 17, 1961 (1961-06-17)

Guest stars edit

Among the many guest stars on the show were:

Production notes edit

Ziv Television Programs, Inc., of Cincinnati, Ohio, a producer and distributor of more than 40 television shows during the 1950s including Highway Patrol, Sea Hunt, Science Fiction Theatre, and subsequently, ZIV-United Artists produced the television series. Later, Showcase Media of Studio City, California distributed the series.

Home media edit

ClassicFlix announced that they would release Season 1 on DVD in region 1 in 2017.[1] However, these plans were shelved indefinitely on April 17, 2018, when ClassicFlix announced that they wouldn't be moving on with the project after all, due to the film elements not being in good enough shape.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Lock-Up - Macdonald Carey Stars in 'Season 1' of the 1959 Crime Drama DVD Plans for this title, coming later in 2017 from ClassicFlix Archived 2017-03-01 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Lambert, David (April 17, 2018). "Lock-Up - Announced Over a Year Ago, the 1959 Series Isn't Coming to DVD After All". TV Shows on DVD. Retrieved April 19, 2018.

External links edit

  • Lock-Up at IMDb  
  • Lock-Up sample episode ("Compulsion Killer") on YouTube (original air date: December 24, 1960)